cannabisnews.com: Pot Center Given 2 Years Pot Center Given 2 Years Posted by CN Staff on August 03, 2006 at 07:02:24 PT By Mike Sprague, Staff Writer Source: Whittier Daily News Whittier, CA -- Although it is outside permitted zones, Whittier's only medical marijuana dispensary will get to stay at its location within a medical office building and near a vocational school through October 2008, city leaders have decided. Hoping to avoid being sued by the Whittier Collective's attorney, City Council members - voting 3-2 - agreed to give the dispensary two years in which to recoup its operating costs, which officials estimated at $8,500. "This will greatly reduce our exposure if there's legal action," said Councilman Owen Newcomer, who voted late Tuesday night in favor of the 2008 date. Mayor Cathy Warner and Councilman Joe Vinatieri, however, voted against it, saying they'd prefer to see the collective closed next year. Warner cited federal law, which makes it a crime to possess or use marijuana. In 1996, California voters passed Proposition 215, which allows its use for medical reasons and only when prescribed by a doctor. "Federal law supersedes state law," Warner said, "and this is an illegal use. "I realize we're just addressing an amortization period," she added. "But it's across the street from a school. I'd prefer a shorter time period." City officials were forced into deciding when the collective must move after learning of its existence during a public hearing held last year on whether to allow medical marijuana dispensaries to open in the city. Council members in January approved an ordinance allowing the dispensaries, but the panel limited them to only commercial and industrial areas of the city. The city can legally set a deadline for the Whittier Collective to move, City Attorney Dick Jones said, as long as it gives the group enough time to recover any operating money it has spent so far. But Richard Brizendine, an attorney for the collective, said in a phone interview Wednesday that Jones based his estimate on the $8,500 the group has spent on building improvements, but ignored about $50,000 the group spent on start-up costs, including an elaborate security system with cameras and motion sensors. "The collective should be allowed sufficient time to recoup their up-front costs and reasonable return of investment," Brizendine said. "I don't believe the council followed the requirement of the law." Jeff Collier, director of community development, said in a written report that the security system can be removed and transferred to another location. Brizendine said the collective poses no harm at its location. "It's the perfect place," he said. "It's a medical dispensary in a medical area." Source: Whittier Daily News (CA)Author: Mike Sprague, Staff Writer Published: August 3, 2006Copyright: 2006 Los Angeles Newspaper GroupContact: letters.tribune sgvn.comWebsite: http://www.whittierdailynews.com/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by SystemGoneDown on August 03, 2006 at 13:23:46 PT Dubya Is it possible for Bush to get the death penalty for war crimes? Apparently he's facing charges. http://gnn.tv/headlines/10265/Will_Bush_and_Gonzales_Get_Away_with_It [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by E_Johnson on August 03, 2006 at 13:22:10 PT Possible research topic for someone Do people who vaporize cannabis experience more, or less, damage to their lungs than do non-smoking non-users from the rash of unhealthy air quality days we've had this summer?From the LA Times:July's scorching heat wave created a "blanket of smog" from California to Maine, with the number of unhealthy days up from last year in 38 states, according to data compiled by a watchdog group. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Truth on August 03, 2006 at 10:08:40 PT "a medical dispensary in a medical area" imagine that [ Post Comment ] Post Comment